Barmer Sangri Achar Dry Desert Bean Pickle Thar

Method

1. 1

   Soak the sangri: Place dried sangri in a bowl. Cover with hot water. Soak 2 hours until plump and slightly softened. Drain.

2. 2

   Boil briefly (optional): Some prefer to briefly boil the soaked sangri for 5 minutes to ensure they are cooked through. Drain and cool completely.

3. 3

   Dry the soaked sangri: Spread the soaked sangri on a clean cloth. Dry completely — any moisture will cause the pickle to spoil.

4. 4

   Heat mustard oil: Heat mustard oil until just smoking. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature — the oil is used at room temperature to prevent cooking the spices.

5. 5

   Grind the pickle masala: Coarsely grind mustard seeds and fennel seeds separately. Combine all pickle masala spices: ground mustard, ground fennel, roasted fenugreek, red chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, salt and amchur.

6. 6

   Combine: Place the dried soaked sangri in a wide bowl. Add all the pickle masala. Toss thoroughly.

7. 7

   Add the cooled mustard oil: Pour the cooled mustard oil over the spiced sangri. Mix well.

8. 8

   Taste and adjust: The pickle should be intensely salty, sour from the amchur and sharp from the mustard oil and spices.

9. 9

   Transfer to a clean jar: Pack into a sterilised glass jar. Press down firmly.

10. 10

    Mature: Rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, shaking the jar once daily, before eating. The sangri absorbs the spiced oil during this period.

11. 11

    Note: Sangri Achar is one of the most specific products of the extreme Thar Desert food culture — the sangri (pods of the Prosopis cineraria tree, locally called khejri) is a drought-resistant legume that grows without irrigation in the Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur desert. The khejri tree is so revered in Rajasthan that it is the state tree — the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan has for centuries protected khejri trees even at the cost of their own lives. The sangri from the khejri is the most Rajasthani of all vegetables.